As with Volume I, here’s a primary resource from this date forward. It’s for anybody who wants to know about the
original STAR TREK.
This book
plunges to DNA-depth into Season Two, from plot outlines and early drafts to
casting and post-production; from Nielsen ratings to fan actions and reactions.
It’s full
of excerpts from hundreds of books, articles, and maybe a hundred interviews
with the crew and the cast, guest stars, and creators.
Marc
Cushman started these labors of love decades ago, encouraged by Gene
Roddenberry and Bob Justman, who gave him access to personal and studio files. Cushman went through the raw materials and lays out about a gazillion
bits of new or perhaps-forgotten info.
Just about everything about Season Two of STAR TREK is covered in
here; it will engage and fascinate you!
You really
must read this book, if you love STAR TREK. It’s also a deep depiction of TV production
in the 1960s, and the typical “establishment” mindset of NBC: “My mind is made up, so don’t confuse me with
the facts.” Some of the things NBC had
made its mind up was that STAR TREK was a kiddie show whose
budget could be systematically pared with no detriment to what was
onscreen. There are numerous memos
laying out the network’s desire for stories on exotic planets; but would they
authorize sufficient money to pay for those faraway, strange-looking places? Perish the thought.
You’ll read
this book with the kind of wonder you feel when you think about your
grandparents having survived the Great Depression. How could so much have been accomplished,
given so few resources? In STAR
TREK ’s case, much of it was inspiration or (dare I say?) genius. In an example of the “new planets” dilemma,
why not keep the “sky” on the planet set a neutral color, and paint the
background with light? Sounds simple --
yet it hadn’t been done on television before.
Cushman
gives us wonderful personal reminiscences and technical details; reflections
from the present day, and specific newspaper articles from the times. We get the genesis, development, and final
disposition of every episode, and other chapters that discuss creators, fans, and
other topics
You really
need to dive into this book, if you care about the Galaxy the Great Bird
created.
You can find the book at its publishers' website here. If you look for it on Amazon, they say it's not yet available. Also, Amazon shows a different cover image from the one above, which was sent to me by the author labeled "FINAL."
UPDATE: This is the absolutely FINAL FINAL cover image, according to Marc. It's also the one shown on Amazon:
UPDATE: This is the absolutely FINAL FINAL cover image, according to Marc. It's also the one shown on Amazon:
READ THIS BOOK!
TRUTH IN
REVIEWING: I am one of the editors of
this book.
